Joseph albert kimball



(No Model.)

J. A. KIMBALL.

PEN HOLDER.

No. 379,789. Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

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Unire Starts ArnNT HCE JOSEPH ALBERT KIMBALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PEN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,789, dated March 20, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JosEPH ALBERT KIM- BALL, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Pen-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My improved holder is adapted to receive pens of widelyvarying sizes and to hold each with firmness. lt is easy toinsert and remove the pen. I hold the pen by the aid of a duplex or split clamp of thin metal, which applies over it and is inclosed in a sliding tube, which latter is moved upward to liberate the pen and downward to clamp it. The body of the pen holder is split and contains a spring. This allows the surface to yield inward, so that the tube may be slid down to the full extent, whether the pen is thin and its curvature matches exactly or is thick and has a different curvature. The elasticity of the body allows theinternal support to yield inward to the varying extent required to Iaccommodate pens of different thickness, and especially to accommodate peus the Shanks of which are curved to different radii, which will frequently fail'to correspond with the diameter ofthe pen-holder. My duplex, forked, or split clamp adapts itself to the exterior of any pen. The sliding` tube on being moved down over my split clamp yields to a less degree. The mutual accommodation holds the pen iirmly,whateverits thickness or radius.`

In what I esteem the most complete form of the invention I form the peirholder with a Wing or partial flange, which performs the triple function of guarding against soiling the ngers with ink, aiding in holding the pen in writing, and also holding the pen against rolling when not in use.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure l is a side view with the pen engaged. Fig. 2 is a corresponding top View. Fig. 3 is an end view with the pen removed. Fig. 4 is a top view with the pen and tube removed. Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sec- Fig. 6 is alongitudinal section in the act of engaging or disengaging the pen.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A is the body of the penholder, of hard fine-grained wood. Its lower end is split by a saw-kerf, a. Into this is forced a narrow folded piece of thin hard brass, C, ora spring of other permanently-elastic material, which distends the split end of the body, but allows it to yield inward when required.

M is the pen.

B is a split spring or clamp, of thin metal, applied in the position represented, engaged in a recess in the body by forming its upper end, b, inward. E is a pin of metal driven in the lower side of the body.

D is a tube of thin metal, applied as shown, and receiving the pin E ina longitudinal slot. The tube may slide longitudinally to an extent limited by the length of the slot d. The lower end of this sliding tube is provided with a wing, D, which extends ont to a sufficient extent on the right side to aid in holding, by being gently pressed against by the middle finger when in use. It is continued, ,but ofless prominence7 along the top or front. A large portion or the whole of the exterior surface of the tube is roughened, as indicated by d.

The shank of the pen M is inserted, in the manner shown, between the body A and the split clamp B while the tube is drawn up. Then the tube is moved downward and the split clamp pressed upon the pen-shank. The tube may be moved downward to the full extent, whether the pen be thick or thin and conforming in crosssection or not. The split spring or clamp B will more readily adapt itself tothe exterior by virtue of its being split. The tube D will by springing only a little ac commodate the slightly-twisted condition of the parts of this duplex clamp and induce a tirm bearing on the exterior of the pen. The surface of the body of the holder A will move inward by the elastic yielding of the spring C, such yielding being to a greater or less extent according to the thickness and curvature of thepen M.

My device holds the pen firmly while in use, and allows great facility for removal and exchange when desired. A single pen-holder will receive and hold pens of a great diversity of size and form. Vhen the pen is in use, the

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Wing D receives the middle finger, and it also serves an important end in defending the ngers against the ink from below. When the pen is laid down, the same guard performs an important function by holding the pen slightly up and preventing the ink which remains in the pen from soiling the surface on which the device may be laid. The roughness of the surface d must not be too pronounced. It must aid to hold the pen-holder easily by the fingers without presenting points or ridges very prominent or sharp. The tube D is also provided with two prongs, D"7 D, which further aid to hold the pen up a little from the table when it is laid thereon and to prevent its rolling when it is laid down.

There are two kinds of surfaces which answer the purpose well. One consists of fine perforations produced from within outward by treatment between dies with a process analogous to punching, leaving burrs on the outside. The other consists of a series of serra tions like the scores in a file.

The advantages of this holder may be briefly enumerated as follows:

First, it takes any-sized pen.

Second, it is easy to insert a pen in this holder.

Third, it holds the pen securely in place.

Fourth, the roughened surface prevents the barrel slipping in the fingers. It also facilitates the inserting and releasing of a pen.

Fifth, the fingers are protected from ink. Sixth, a soiled pen can be easily removed without touching it with the fingers.

Seventh, a loaded pen cannot soil the desk or table. Y

Eighth, the holder cannot roll off an inclined desk.

Ninth, the relative position of the fingers and the point of the pen can be changed by moving the barrel up andpdo'wn withouttouch ing the pen itself.` The barrel can be moved.

slightly up anddown and the grip of the fingers audthumb correspondingly changed without endangering the hold by which the split clamp engages the pen.

My holder 'allows the pen to be shifted to the right or left to any required extent to accommodate any peculiarity of the user.

not necessary that the two parts of the split v It is' spring B shall clamp equally on the pen. The pen may, if required, be set so far to one side that only one part of the spring will bear on it. I prefer ordinarily that the pen be placed in the central position.

Modifications may be made without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I have shown the tube D as continuous, but it may serve with success if made by the cheaper plan of bending around a previously-planed piece of metal. It isA easy with either to properly form the wing D and rough surface d, and to produce the narrow long slot d. Rubber may be used for the spring C. The split spring B may be held by widening its upper end and engaging the widened portion in a shallow groove. I consider such an equivalent for the locking means-b.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. I can omit the prongs or branches. D'z D3. I can omit the wing D'.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a pen-holder, the split body A a and inclosed spring C, in combination with the sliding tube D and intermediate split spring, B b, for holding and releasing pens of different sizes and forms, asherein specied.

2. In a pen-holder, the sliding tube D, having a wing, D', adapted to serve the double functions of a rest or holding means and a guard against ink, in combi-nation with the split spring B b and body A, adapted to serve relatively to ear'h other and to a pen, M, as herein specified;

3. The split spring B, having locking means b, for engaging with the body, with liberty to yield, the body A. having a split, a, andthe sliding tube D, roughened, as indicated by d, and provided with, the wing D' and prongs or branches D2 D3, ,all combined and arranged; to serve substantially as herein specied.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set Amy hand at New York city, N. Y., this 24th day of August, 1887, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH ALBERT KIMBALL.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE,

M.. F. BoYLE.

Sol 

